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In reality Churchill’s lounge on the queen vic is open to all smokers (regardless of what it says officially) and the area immediately outside is also pretty sheltered from the wind.

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Now they’ve been released, in very excited about this ship. Probably like many of you, I enjoy looking over the details.

https://www.pocruises.com/global/deckplans/Iona/Iona_Deckplans_2019-20.pdf

Here’s my observations:

Lots of lifts and stairs: Should be easier to get around with 2x 8 banks of lifts and 1x6 bank of lifts. Plus mid, aft and fwd all seem to have top to bottom staircases

Pools and Hot tubs: always shy away from Britannia because it seemed under pooled for the size. Iona seems to have *lots* of hot tubs. Not sure what infinity ones on deck might be, but hey ho!

Outside space: seems to be quite a lot of it. And a proper walkable promenade deck. I know some of the space will be taken up with eateries, but I would imagine for those like me who like to get their 07:00 sea stroll in, it’s going to be great.

Odd Cabins: I’m not struck on the deck 8 balcony cabins that are “visible” from the promenade. It would be a bit like sleeping in a beach hut?! I’m keen to see what these look like in real life, but there goes my strategy of taking a balcony guarantee and hoping for the best!

That were just my observations from a quick look over. The ship seems to has to re thought in the design. I’m no p&o cheerleader, but I can’t wait to try it.

What does everyone else think?

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At the risk of getting flamed why would anyone allow their kids to use a pool that’s clearly marked for adults only?

Regardless of whether it is presently empty or not, the terrace area is a quiet space for relaxing and had a different vibe to the main pools midships where kids can use the facilities as they need.

It’s little wonder that a fellow guest would complain, but then I don’t think everyone else’s world should revolve around my kids....

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Omg. I literally never even thought that this could be a thread, but hey ho it’s fun.

I wouldn’t expect the steward to deal with any of my clothes. I’ve always put everything away somewhere or at the very least fold it and leave it on the chair.

As for putting stuff in the drawers, well I hate to tell this to you, but the bedside drawers and the place I hide all my dirty undies and socks before they get gathered up and chucked in the laundry [emoji15]. Still those marauding bacteria have never got me yet [emoji40]

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I would have thought a cruise counts and if pretty sure this would have been tested in law at some point (the original regulations have applied since 1992). Be interesting to see if someone finds a definitive answer.

If I were particularly aggrieved, my first point would to complain in writing. And if that go no-where I’d phone the legal assistance people that come with my insurance.

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According to the Facebook comment replies from p&o it appears she’s been sold to “a domestic Chinese operator”

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The two likes are more similar than different. Cunard is a slight step up in terms of service and overall “niceness”, but in terms of what matters you’ll find decent food, a nice cabin and largely ok service.

P&O is significantly cheaper for onboard purchases (especially bar drinks).

Many people have something against Ventura, but i think it’s a fine enough ship. Although it’s significantly bigger than Elizabeth/Victoria if you are select about where you go you can often find quiet public areas or deck space to relax.

The ship is moderns so there is decent level access everywhere or a suitable alternative route with lots of lifts (4 aft, 4 fwd, 6 mid) and power assisted doors in many locations to access the deck.

If you are a regular Cunard person there’s nothing that should stop you from booking p&o.

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Internet is always patchy on transatlantic cruises. They don’t position the kind of fast internet beaming satellites above miles of open ocean for the occasional passing ship.

The fast internet works fine on a ship in Europe; I sailed on a sister carnival brand recently with fast internet and it was just as good as in the Caribbean. However they might need to adjust the equipment once in a new location to set it up correctly.

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Well I ignored the personalised video email too. The P&O version was a little more explicit.

Ok so I logged into my circle account and sure enough it says “edit these details to remain in the captains circle”.

I only found this after logging in and then eventually stumbling on the option.

Thanks for the heads up, otherwise I would have missed it.

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I found the buffet very variable. Some nights it was really faultless, great food, nice choices. Other nights it was a bit yuk, with bizarre menus and mediocre quality.

What I’m trying to say, not very eloquently, is that never judge it by a single trip!

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Is there not still an option to change the flights on the personaliser?

I know in the past (probably going back two years) I picked completely different flights arriving a day early and it didn’t change an other part of the package.

Other than that if you got booked via and agent, ask them to sort it out and give you what you asked for. If you booked directly with princess ask the same question of them and don’t take no for an answer!

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We did not need a visa when visiting from the UK. I did the South America trip several years ago and took local currency for Argentina and Chile.

I’m sure I didn’t need any extra vaccinations over and above what I already had.

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You’ll find Churchill’s lounge as one of the liveliest parts of the Q.V. with a regular crowd in there at all times of the day. It’s often very busy at night.

The same public area dress code applies in there as for the rest of the lounges.

It’s often more heavily populated with cigarette smokers than pipe or cigar smokers, regardless of what the rules say. There is very good ventilation, but I find the smells linger in the room and anything you wear.

I agree with the trick of hanging clothes in your bathroom to freshen them up.

There’s also an outside area to Churchill’s, which has tables and is relatively sheltered from the wind.

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I am a non smoker and always have been. I dislike the smell of smoke from cigarettes, cigars and pipes and don’t much like emissions from those who vape. I also dislike having to wear clothes polluted with the smell of smoke from being around smokers. In the open air, on a ship with a decent breeze blowing smoke seawards, it is not too bad, the smoking area is somewhere I avoid. I also choose my balcony cabin carefully so it is not on the ‘smoking side’ of the ship (another benefit of select fares).

 

 

 

As for the health risks of breathing in second hand smoke, this doesn’t worry me too much. In the open air, I can well believe the smoke gets blown away. As I would not be sitting at a table with a smoker, breathing in their smoke at short range is not an issue.

 

 

 

I do however believe that smokers should be allowed to smoke. They have to feed their addiction somehow and smoking tobacco is an obvious way to do this. Provided they stick to the designated areas, I can’t see that there is a problem. However, I do not think duty free cigarettes should be sold throughout the cruise because if the high ‘duty paid’ price is designed to discourage smoking, maybe the much lower duty free price encourages smokers to smoke more than they would do normally. Perhaps it should only be collected on the last day of the cruise as with alcohol.

A very sensible post. I’m horribly inclined to agree about the duty free cigarettes being sold on board. On the last cruise I started smoking again after a year off. Then being cheap and available wasn’t the only factor, but it helped with the decision.

Ironically those cheap fags cost me another £3,000 in cigarettes after the cruise, from smoking 20 a day for just over a year... more than enough for a cruise holiday for 2! However I’m stopping again in the next few days.

That said, I disagree with the OPs point. I think p&o have the balance right. There’s so few areas on the ship where people can smoke they are easily avoided by the majority that don’t. And while people do still choose to smoke, it would only be sensible to allow a limited, outdoor provision of areas in which people can do so.

I’m not convinced by the passive smoking argument, when smoking takes place outdoors in the open air. Compared to harmful particulates that belch out of the funnel out in the open sea and blow across the open decks (see the sensationalist channel 4 “documentary” for more info), a limited, easily avoided, smoking area should be the last of people’s worries [emoji3]

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I quite like them, in the fact that I don’t have to fill anything in.

I don’t bother with extra tape, just staple them with about 20 staples.

I always print off an extra label and just lay the paper inside the suitcase incase the label falls off.

If I’m doing a fly cruise, then the stapler comes with me and the labels get applied just before I leave the airport! I have a well travelled stapler.

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Just had an email from princess. So for new bookings made after 12th December, you’ll no longer get Princess cruise credits for P&O sailings.

A bit disappointing, but hey ho. I have several cruise credits from P&O that pushed my Princess status to elite (that won’t change), but if the cross line cruise credits are important to you, you’d better book your P&O cruise quickly!

Email quoted below;

Important Information: Princess Cruises' Captain's Circle Loyalty Scheme

Dear Guest,

Thank you for being a loyal member of the Princess Cruises Captain's Circle Club. Previously, Princess Cruises has recognised your sailings history from its sister brand, P&O Cruises. This meant guests were awarded with increased membership benefits, based on sailings from both P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises.

As our brands continue to grow and evolve, so must our loyalty programmes. With this in mind Princess Cruises is ending the P&O Cruises’ sailings recognition effective from Tuesday 12 December 2017.

Details regarding the update can be found below:

1. P&O Cruises bookings that are booked by (inclusive of) Tuesday 12 December 2017 will still count towards Princess Cruises' Captain's Circle Membership.

2. P&O Cruises bookings that are booked on or after Wednesday 13 December 2017 will not count towards Princess Cruises' Captain's Circle Membership.

3. Guests who have previously sailed with Princess Cruises will still have their completed P&O Cruises sailings count towards Princess Cruises’ Captain's Circle Membership and will not drop in loyalty tier due to the change on Tuesday 12 December 2017. For example, if you have sailed before onboard Princess Cruises as an ‘Elite’ Member, you will sail again onboard Princess Cruises as an ‘Elite’ Member.

Please visit https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/membershipBenefits.page to familiarise yourself with the details on member benefits.

4. If a guest has P&O Cruises sailings history but zero Princess Cruises sailings history, they will show as a new Princess Cruises guest against any bookings confirmed after Tuesday 12 December 2017.

Yours faithfully,

Princess Cruises

-

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When I read the Facebook post from cruise critic about this, I was ready to be fuming. I generally don’t like being told what I can have in my luggage for someone else’s revenue protection.

However, the policy still seems more relaxed than other lines. Normally we’ll bring a bottle of gin or vodka onboard for pre dinner balcony drinks. As this is still allowed, it seems pretty reasonable.

Also if you choose to bring on wine (which I never have) there’s also no corkage. Which again is pretty reasonable.

The only slightly disappointing thing is that sometime we’d buy a few extra bottles of local beer ashore to enjoy on the balcony (instead of the spirits, not as well!) and we won’t be able to do that.

It’s not really the last nail in the coffin for me that I thought it might be following the last very average cruise we took with p&o. The big saving grace for the little we do drink, the onboard prices are far more reasonable than most lines. Which means p&o would still be an option for us.

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Less humour there SoT.

 

 

 

I pretty much agree with all of it, but not all. Service for myself has always been excellent and I've never had even so much as a raised eyebrow when not adding anything additional to the bill/check (and I've never once done this). But that's your view/perception.

 

 

 

Cunard do market themselves as a luxury brand - a cut above if you will. And you are right, they are not. Whilst it's not Mrs Miggins B&B, it's not The Dorchester. It's not the Holiday Inn Express, it's the Holiday Inn.

I agree with everything you say. I wouldn't ever dream of adding an extra on top of the 15% and I've never felt the need to do it. I've also never found the service to be a particular issue. Not stellar, but as you say, holiday inn; middle of the road.

If something was a bit lacking we always joked between us "that's white star service, that is!"

One thing to the OP my first cruise on queen Victoria I regarded as "meh". However we took it again and I really quite enjoyed it (wasn't my choice). I guess because I had no expectations of the wonderful cut above the rest they try and paint themselves as. I knew the shops would be overpriced, the decor reminiscent of a day gone by that never existed. But I also knew they'd be decent food, good passenger to space to crew ratio and fellow passengers which were pretty down to earth people.

While I respect entirely what the OP says, if you don't go high expectations, you'll get a decent ship at a decent price and the enjoyment that isn't coloured by disappointment.

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Agree. Only disappointed we won't get to hear the final conclusion. SoT, I really enjoyed your review even as a Cunard enthusiast! I also think you kept your cool very well. Happy sailing whichever line you choose next.

I agree. Go on, for old time's sake. Let's have the final part [emoji3]

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To the OP; I really enjoyed reading your review. Like many people reading on this board, they'll have been on this ship and have their own opinions. And can decide whether or not they agree with your descriptions or opinions.

Personally I really enjoyed reading it and I'm looking forward to the last part [emoji3]

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Personally I think the Paris thing in a day might be hard work. I took a long weekend there not so long ago, arrived Friday night and left on Sunday evening.

We took the Sunday at Disneyland so only really had a day to pull in the sights, and we saw what we wanted to see and had a fantastic day.

That said, we started early, covered about 8 miles on foot, plus hopping on and off the metro and it was fairly exhausting. Come about 10pm I was ready to crawl into bed and wish myself new feet!

So it is doable, but tacking on a trip on the Eurostar at the start and end of the day would require some *serious* stamina!

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I vote for the gym as well! Far too many people milling about on deck.

As other have said, the treadmills have a great view. Although I seem to remember the limited head room meant their incline couldn't be adjusted (or I might be getting muddled with another ship!)

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4019380/Axed-50p-fee-spend-penny-stations-Network-Rail-ditches-toilet-charge-raking-37-5million-UK-stations.html

Many larger train stations have now made their toilets free.

Indeed the free toilets at Fenchurch Street last week saved me when I arrived an hour early for a meeting!

This is for major "Network Rail" stations and doesn't include underground stations.

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Thanks for being so kind everyone - I've booked an appt at the dr for the day I get back to get a prescription for some meds that helped me quit last time. X

 

 

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That's great news. I'm currently a relapsed smoker and I started smoking again on my last cruise [emoji52]

So I agree it's a good plan to quit when you get back. Just don't be tempted to buy a carton of duty free as you leave otherwise it will push you quit date back

I found Nicorette quick mist to be very good. Tastes vile enough to not become addicted to it instead and kills cravings. I'm planning on just using that next time around.

Good luck!

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I've cruised with both lines several times. Most recently with P&O. I agree with pretty much everything that's been said about them.

The rather steep drink prices on Cunard meant I probably spent less on board than I would do with p&o. The service is slightly better on Cunard, but not by much.

I though cunard's food was better, but on the last cruise p&o seemed to have significantly up their game in this respect leaving little difference. Green beans aside.

Passengers are of a slightly more refined class on Cunard, although I didn't detect anyone that was out and out snobby.

If you happen to be an unfortunate nicotine addict (as I am), the smoking areas on p&o seem to be populated by Jermery kyles's guests, while on the Queen Victoria, the smoking lounge was the liveliest and most fun place on the ship for good conversation.

I enjoyed both. They are more similar than they are different. On balance my heart likes Cunard, my wallet thinks p&o is better value. Bit like deciding between m&s and Sainsbury's....

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